Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-01-22

lhe lollOHlnB taDlc gives q Dript Eunfnar
of the facts contained In the report. The fg-
ures are those for the year ending June 80,
1886:
loUai receipts. S2,3i {. 265 -
expenditures. l,9l7, 25S. Is
balanCe on 49,. OO6. So
Number Of children OF school age JOB. 1884
Number OF teachers employed . 5,u55
umhe OF schools. ............. 3au5
Number of school houses ....... 3,467
Population TO each school. ...... l29
slttings In school houses........ ll0,lll
Value OF permanent school prop
s., $50 COG 20
The business of the commissioner OF immi-
grafton has steadily grown, until his office is
now among the busiest OF the territorial Off
sials. Inquiries about Dakota have been re.
ceiyed from nearly every state and territory in
the union, embracing nearly 5000 separate in
quirics In nineteen months. From 10000 to
/. 80, 600 persons have been supplied with docu,
ments of varieas kinds. The number Of miles
of railroad track laid during 1886, as given by
the commissioner, is 67S, and the totslmiles OF
completed road In the territory Is 3, i9l. Sew
eral hundred miles are graded also, on which
tfacklaying VIII begin In the spring. One OF
the most important duties assigned the COM
missioner, that of collecting local statistics,
he has been unable to perform in anything
like a thorough and satisfactory manner. ow
ing to the defects of the law. Such results as
IL has been possible TO accomplish are submit
ted with his report. He suggests certain
amendments to the law in this and other re-
spects, to which i invite your attention.
The creation Of the railway commission has
been Of public benefit.
The school for the dear and dumb al Sioux
Falls is In an excellent condition.
The other territorial institutions are upon
a good basis and prosperous.
The Yankton hospital for the insane has IA
inmates and the jamestown hospital l3o. The
enlargement OF these institutions is recon-
Hnended.
The increase of cells In the Sioux Falls
prison is also recommended.
Fourteen pardons have been grsntedd during
1886.
: The cost of the militia has been 81, 81 in
excess of the appropriation.
The territory should take the initial steps
TO construct a home for disabled soldiers. We
do not need this now but the time Is co~ning
when It will be required. There are between
lO,OO0 and 20 600 Old soldiers In Dakota. For
the most part they are thrifty and prosperous,
but misfortune will overtakc some, and they
should not be left without provision. Our
old soldiers must not become mendicants or
occupy poor houses. recommend the setting
asiGc OF a certain percentage, either of the
revenue or OF the bonGs redeemed, "a a fund
for this purpose, and which will in a few years
enable us To construct a home worthy OF the
object TO which it is dedicated.
Ii is recommended hat salaries instead Of
fees be paid To county officers.
Under oar In ,urance law, process must be
served on all Dakota companies at the home
office, and the t'i.i If cases must, OF course
he held in the car; having jurisdiction In
tlat locality. Ire result Is that persons suf-
fering losses wbicG arc contested by such
companies must sometimes Journey hundreds
OF miles TO attend court, thereby mourning
coats and expense which often amount to as
much as the sum which they seek to recover.
This Is particularly hard on the small insurer,
aud it is only fair to all parties that process
should be returRsble IN the county where the
insurance policy is held, the ssme as in the
case of foreign companies.
The entire expense % taking the ceusss Of
the territory amounted TO $4i 96S.47. The
mount allowed for the purpose by the treas
ury department was So, 506.S9, leaving a bal
ance of 50 46l IS. Three thousand two hun
d-ed and fTty-onc dollars and thirty-three
cents Of this allowance was withheld by the
department to cover the direct tax levied In
1861, and which Dakota. In common with
nearly all the states, failed TO pay in full.